


The Couch Predicament

by orphan_account



Series: Fuck it I love you [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Billy loves his plants, Dart junior the cat, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, couch shopping at the ikea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 18:22:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20430404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Who knew couch shopping would be so difficult. I feel like we have looked at over a hundred. Not the right color. Not the right size. Bad quality.” Steve mumbles, peeking at Billy from between his fingers with his ridiculously large eyes.“We’ll find one Bambi.”





	The Couch Predicament

**Author's Note:**

> a little floofy thing. Unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own<3

“No, not that one.” Billy grouses, eyes narrowed at the flowery monstrosity Steve is currently lounging on. “Looks like someone puked up a bouquet and decided to make a couch out of it.” He wrinkles his nose in the way he knows Steve likes and Steve rolls his eyes at him. “Fine fine.” he concedes, standing and strolling his way toward Billy. 

“You didn’t actually consider that one, did you?” Billy asks, craning his neck just so to look up at Steve. Steve snorts, bumps his shoulder with Billy’s. 

“Nah.” He says. “It’s something my grandma would pick out, or the old lady who lived across the street back in Hawkins. She had that horribly floral patterned wallpaper, that couch would have fit right in. She did make the best snickerdoodles though.” 

Billy smiles up at him, a smile that melts the harsh edges right of his face, makes is eyes go soft. It’s reserved for Steve and Steve only, although he has a version of it for Max that makes an appearance once in a while when his sister comes to visit.

They walk deeper into the couch section of the Ikea, Steve’s fingers inconspicuously threading with Billy’s before he points out another couch. “How about that one?”

The color is good, Billy thinks, a deep brown that would match well with the comfy chairs they already bought and the beanbag and cushions for extra seating space when they have guests. He likes brown, he has a proclivity for natural colors in general and brown goes well with the plethora of plants Billy has scattered around their apartment. There’s just one thing about it that’s wrong. 

“Do you really want a fabric couch?” He asks, raising a brow. Steve looks confused, a wrinkle appearing between his brows. “You like that color?” He tries but it comes out as a question.

“Did you forget about Dart Junior?” Billy raises his other brow meaningfully and Steve seems to be catching on. “Ah.” 

“Yup. Ah. I really don’t want to clean cat hair of the couch everyday.” 

“I see your point.” Steve says. Billy leans on his tiptoes and places a soft but quick kiss on Steve’s cheek. 

“The chairs and stuff are also leather so it’d make sense if we bought a leather couch as well.” 

“Yeah.” Steve says and presses the heels of his palms in his eyes, plopping down on the first seat available that turns out to be a couch in a very unfortunate color of green. Billy sinks down next to him anyway. 

“Who knew couch shopping would be so difficult. I feel like we have looked at over a hundred. Not the right color. Not the right size. Bad quality.” Steve mumbles, peeking at Billy from between his fingers with his ridiculously large eyes. 

“We’ll find one Bambi.” Billy says, leaning in and nuzzling Steve’s neck. “Also if we’re done here I wanna go to the plant section.” 

“More plants? Don’t you have enough plants?” Steve asks, hands falling away from his face. One finds its way in Billy’s curls and blunt nails scratch over his scalp. 

“One can never have enough plants.” He says solemnly. Steve snickers, shaking his head slightly as he is wont to do when he’s amused. 

“I should have known the apartment would turn into a greenhouse with you working in a flower shop and all.”

“Yup you should have.” Billy says, chipper, as he stands and holds out a hand for Steve. 

They eventually find a couch they agree on but when they sit down the squeaky sound has Steve doubling over with laughter. “Nope.” Steve says this time. “The neighbors will kill us.”

Billy waggles his brows, shuffles a bit closer. “You think?”

“I know, cause you love to get fucked on the couch when you get of off work.” Steve dead pans and Billy smirks. 

“You’re right about that. Another point for a leather couch, makes cleaning up the mess a lot easier.” 

“You’re impossible.” 

“You love it.” 

“Yeah, I do.”

The teasing glint in Steve’s eyes is replaced with something softer, reverent. In the beginning of their relationship Billy had shied away from that look, had retreated back to the safety behind his wall. The wall stands still, but Steve made it his job to break it brick by brick, to help Billy learn to be comfortable in his own skin. He might have appeared confident when he strutted through the halls of Hawkins high, but he was anything but. A broken boy, a lonely boy that hid bruises with stolen concealer and smiled with blood on his teeth. With Steve’s help he has gained confidence, has learned the value of friendships, has learned how to love again. So now he meets Steve’s gaze head on a mirroring expression on his face. 

The ‘I love you.’ remains unsaid, it’s not the place, not in the middle of the Ikea on a couch with the color of puke and people loitering around. It’s said over breakfast when there both still sleepy and craving their first coffee, or when Steve wakes up shaking and swinging his fists at phantom beasts. 

Instead they smile like loons, link their fingers and resume their search. 

Eventually they find a corner sofa in a deep reddish brown color that fits their measurements. 

“Succes!” Steve cries, making another couple browsing the couches snicker. “Finally!”

“We still need to set up a date for delivery.” Billy reminds him. 

“Yeah but we’ve got it, baby. We can finally get rid of that rickety old thing we have now.”

Billy smiles at Steve’s enthusiasm. “We’ve gotta get a scratching pole for Dart though, can’t have him sharpening his claws on it. What more do we still need?”

“Uh.” Steve says. “We still need storage in the bathroom. You wanted more shelves and a ladder for your plants, new sheets. Also storage for in the living room. Small stuff mostly. 

The domesticity of it all suddenly hits Billy, watching Steve cite the things they still need while counting them on his fingers. His past self would run away from commitment, but the Billy now wouldn’t trade anything for what he has now with Steve. Safety, a home. 

Steve breaks his reverie, curling his fingers around his wrist, tucking a loose curl behind his ear. “You wanted plants?” He says dryly and Billy nods, but when he pulls Steve along he ushers him in a little nook, away from prying eyes to kiss him breathless, hoping that his appreciation and love shine through.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed. I might turn this into a series revolving around them settling in their new apartment and life.


End file.
